Cigarette lighter valve control mechanism



CIGARETTE LIGHTER VALVE CONTROL MECHANISM Jan. 12, 1965 KuNlJlRo sEGAwA Filed Aug. 24, 1962 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,164,976 CIGARETTE LIGHTER VALVE. CNTRGL MECHANSM Kuniiiro Segawa, Ishikawa, Japan, assigner to Borneo Sumatra Trading Company, Inc., New York, NX., a

'corporation of New York Filed Aug. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 219,235 4 Claims. (Cl. 67-7.1)

This invention relates to an improved cigarette lighter, and in particular relates to an improved cigarette lighter mechanism providing for positive control of a fuel valve by operation of the main actuating member of the lighter. One object of the invention is to provide an improved cigarette lighter mechanism of the'above-described type, wherein the control means for the valve is concealed within an internal compartment of the lighter, together with simple means coupling the actuating means for the valve to the external actuating member for the mechanism as a whole.

Another object of the invention is to provide valve control mechanisms of the above type, which can be controlled in response to various movements of the main actuating member.

In accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention, the cigarette lighter includes a casing divided yinto a lower fuel tank and an upper compartment having a top wall. The compartment has a bottom opening at its front communicating with the fuel tank, and the lighter also has a fuel valve including a vertical plunger in the compartment at its front and receiving fuel through said opening. lSuch valve mechanism is described in detail in my copending application, entitled Cigarette Lighter Fuel Control Mechanism, filed on August 24, 1962, Serial No.

219,236. The plunger is movable between an upper valve opening position and a lower valve closing position. The top wall has a top wall front opening overlying the valve for flow out of the casing of fuel vapors or gas from the valve.

A first lever extends longitudinally in the compartment and is laterally mounted intermediate its ends to the casing. The/front end of the rst lever is coupled to the plunger for movement thereof in the opposite sense to movement of the rear end of the rst lever. Spring means couple the rear end of the iirst lever and the casing and urge the rear end upwardly so as to maintain the valve normally closed.

The lighter further comprises a snuifer shaped and sized to block the top wall front opening and thereby block raising of the plunger, as well as lateral pivot means mounting the snuier on the casing above the top wall for movement of the snuffer between top wall front opening blocking and unblocking positions.

A second lever, which is the main actuating lever for the lighter, is mounted on the casing above the top wall for movement between lirst and second positions. The second lever and the snuier are coupled for movement of the snuer to blocking position by movement of the second lever to first position, and to unblocking position by movement of the second leverto second position.

As an important feature of the invention, the top wall has a rear opening, and the lighter has means including a member extending through the top wall rear opening coupling the second lever and the rst lever so that movement of the second lever to second position causes lowering of the rear end of the first lever. The second lever is normally biased to its rst position.

In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention, the actuating member is mounted so as to control the action of the snulfer by longitudinal movement. This facilitates actuation of the snuffel'. In accordance with this embodiment, cam means are employed lh'lh Patented Jan. l2, 11955 ICC to couple the second lever through an extension through the top wall rear opening of the iirst lever. In another embodiment of the invention, a third lever extends through the top wall opening that couples the first and second levers. v

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed.

In the drawing:

FIG. l is a vertical longitudinal section of a first embodiment of the invention, showing the parts in their normal position in which the lighter is not operating;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. l, showing the lighter when it has been placed into operation;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of the operating lever which directly controls the fuel valve;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of a second embodiment of the invention, showing the lighter in inactive condition;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 5, showing the lighter placed into operation; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective View of the operating levers which directly control the operation of the fuel valve.

First Embodimenl FIG. l shows a longitudinally elongated cigarette lighter casing C of rectangular shape having a top wall 21. Partition wall 22, parallel to and near wall 2l, divides casing C into a lower fuel compartment or fuel tank F and an upper compartment D. Compartment D has a bottom opening 23 at its front communicating with fuel tank F. Fuel valve E including Vertical plunger valve B is mounted in compartment D at its front, overlying opening 23 and receiving fuel vapors or gas from tank F through said opening 23. Said valve E may be of any suitable type, such as that shown in my aforesaid patent application filed on the same day as this. Plunger B is movable between an upper valve opening position wherein fuel llows through the top of valve B and a lower valve closing position. Top wall 21 has a top wall front opening l5 overlying plunger B for ow out of the top of casing C of fuel vapors from valve E.

First lever A extends longitudinally in compartment D. Said lever A may be formed from any suitable metal bar or strap material by a simple punching operation. Lever A has a rear flat portion 24 and an upstanding lateral llange 3 connected to the rear edge of vsaid lever p-ortion 24. Lateral flange 2 depends from the front edge of lever portion 24 and connects at its lower end with a forwardly upwardly inclined lever portion 6. Said lever portion 6 connects at its front end with a forwardly extending lever front portion 25 which is bifurcated at its front end to form legs l. The inclined portion 6 has an aperture 7. The front end of lever portion 24 is provided with parallel, laterally opposing, depending side ears 4 having apertures 4a.

In assembly, lever A is received within compartment D with pivot pin 4b extending turnably through the apertures 4a of ears 4 and xed to the side walls of casing C by any suitable means (not shown). Front holder 17 extends vertically above casing C and also extends downwardly through any suitable opening in top wall 2l and further downwardly slidably through opening 7 'of lever portion 6. Top wall 2l has a rear opening 16 through which flange 3 extends. Accordingly, the main portion of flange 3 is normally located above casing C. Flange 3 serves as a transverse extension of the first lever A.

Further as mounted in compartment D, the bifurcated legs of front lever portion 25 extend around either side of a portion 9 of reduced diameter of plunger B, so that ditions may be made in the invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. Cigarette lighter mechanism comprising:

a casing having a longitudinal axis and divided into a lower fuel tank and upper compartment having a top wall, said compartment having a bottom opening at its front communicating with said fuel tank, a fuel valve including a vertical plunger valve in Said compartment at its front and receiving fuel through said opening, said plunger valve being movable between an upper valve opening position and a lower valve closing position, said top wall having a top wall front opening overlying said valve for ow out of said casing of fuel vapors from said valve;

a rst lever extending longitudinally in said compartment, lateral pivot means mounting said rst lever to said casing intermediate the ends of said first lever, means coupling the front end of said irst lever to said plunger `for movement thereof in the opposite sense to movement of the rear end of said first lever, spring means coupling the rear end of said irst lever and said casing and urging said rear end upwardly so as to maintain said valve normally closed;

a snuifer, shaped and sized to block said top wall :front opening and thereby block raising of said plunger, lateral pivot means mounting said snuffer on said casing above said top wall for movement between top wall front opening blocking and unblocking positions, a second lever, means mounting said second lever on said casing above said top wall for movement between rst and second positions, means coupling said second lever and said snuffer for movement of said snufer to blocking position by movement of said second lever to rst position and to unblocking position by movement of said second lever to second position;

said top wall having a rear opening, means including a member extending through said top Wall rear opening coupling said second lever and said rst lever so that movement of said second lever to second position causes lowering of the rear end of said rst lever, whereby said first lever positively moves said plunger valve between said valve opening and valve closing positions, and means biasing said second lever to first position.

2. Cigarette lighter mechanism according to claim 1, said means mounting said second lever on said casing comprising lateral pivot means at the rear of said second lever, the front of said second lever being raised from said top wall in its first position and lowered towards said top wall in its second position, said means coupling said rst and second levers comprising a third lever in said compartment laterally pivoted to said casing behind said first lever and extending over and abutting the rear end of said rst lever, said third lever having a transverse extension extending through said top wall rear opening and abutting the bottom of said second lever forwardly of its pivot.

3. Cigarette lighter mechanism according to claim 1, said means mounting said second lever on said casing comprising lateral pivot means coupling the front of said second lever to said snuer at a point located above the snuier pivot in the irst position of said second lever and behind the snuffer pivot in the second position of said second lever corresponding to rearward movement thereof, said means coupling said iirst and second levers comprising a transverse extension in the rear end of said rst lever extending upwardly through said top wall rear opening, a cam, means mounting said cam on the rear end of said second lever, the upper end of said extension abutting the bottom of said cam, the bottom of said cam being shaped to lower said extension by reason of rearward movement of said second lever to second position, said means biasing said second lever to rst position comprising a second spring connecting said second lever and said top wall.

4. Cigarette lighter mechanism according to claim 3, said cam being a third lever mounted by lateral pivot upon the rear end of said second lever, said casing having a bracket on its top wall, said brackets longitudinally slidably receiving the free end of said cam lever and limiting its forward movement, said second lever being downwardly rearwardly movement with resulting lowering of the pivot of said cam lever and further resulting lowering of its cam surface against the upper end of said rst lever extension so as to lower the rear end of said irst lever.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,943,471 Newman July 5, 1960 2,948,134 Quercia Aug. 9, 1960 3,007,328 Zahn Nov. 7, 1961 

1. A CIGARETTE LIGHTER MECHANSIM COMPRISING: A CASING HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY AXIS AND DIVIDED INTO A LOWER FUEL TANK AND UPPER COMPARTMENT HAVING A TOP WALL SAID COMPARTMENT HAVING A BOTTOM OPENING AT ITS FRONT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FUEL TANK, A FUEL VALVE INCLUDING A VERTICAL PLUNGER VALVE IN SAID COMPARTMENT AT ITS FRONT AND RECEIVING FUEL THROUGH SAID OPENING, SAID PLUNGER VALVE BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN AN UPPER VALVE OPENING POSITION AND A LOWER VALVE CLOSING POSITION, SAID TOP WALL HAVING A TOP WALL FRONT OPENING OVERLYING SAID VALVE FOR FLOW OUT OF SAID CASING OF FUEL VAPORS FROM SAID VALE; A FIRST LEVER EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY IN SAID COMPARTMENT, LATERAL PIVOT MEANS MOUNTING SAID FIRST LEVER TO SAID CASING INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID FIRST LEVER, MEANS COUPLING THE FRONT END OF SAID FIRST LEVER TO SAID PLUNGER FOR MOVEMENT THEREOF IN THE OPPOSITE SENSE TO MOVEMENT OF THE REAR END OF SAID FIRST LEVER, SPRING MEANS COUPLING THE REAR END OF SAID FIRST LEVER AND SAID CASING AND URGING SAID REAR END UPWARDLY SO AS TO MAINTAIN SAID VALVE NORMALLY CLOSED; A SNUFFER, SHAPED AND SIZED TO BLOCK SAID TOP WALL FRONT OPENING AND THEREBY BLOCK RAISING OF SAID PLUNGER, LATERAL PIVOT MEANS MOUNTING SAID SNUFFER ON SAIDD CASING ABOVE SAID TOP WALL FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN TOP WALL FRONT OPENING BLOCKING AND UNBLOCKING POSITIONS, A SECOND LEVER, MEANS MOUNTING SAID SECOND LEVER ON SAID CASING ABOVE SAID TOP WALL FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS, MEANS COUPLING SAID SECOND LEVER AND SAID SNUFFER FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID SNUFFER TO BLOCKING POSITION BY MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND LEVER TO FIRST POSITION AND TO UNBLOCKING POSITION BY MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND LEVER TO SECOND POSITION; SAID TOP WALL HAVING A REAR OPENING, MEANS INCLUDING A MEMBER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID TOP WALL REAR OPENING COUPLING SAID SECOND LEVER AND SAID FIRST LEVER SO THAT MOVEMENT OF SECOND LEVER TO SECOND POSITION CAUSES LOWERING OF THE REAR END OF SAID FIRST LEVER, WHEREBY SAID FIRST LEVER POSITIVELY MOVES SAID PLUNGER VALVE BETWEEN SAID VALVE OPENING AND VALVE CLOSING POSITIONS, AND MEANS BIASING SAID SECOND LEVER TO FIRST POSITION. 